APSC scam: Gauhati HC dismisses pleas against termination of

The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday dismissed petitions challenging the government's decision to terminate appointments of 49 civil services officials for their alleged role in cash-for-job scam in the Assam Public Service Commission.

The 49 writ petitions were filed by the officials of the Assam Civil Services (ACS), Assam Police Services (APS) and other allied services of the 2016 batch who were accused of clearing the APSC eaminations through unfair means.

In their petitions, the appellants claimed that they were discharged from their services without giving an opportunity of presenting their side, without following the due process of law, and hence that amounted to violation of natural justice.

Justice Manojit Bhuyan after detailed hearing of all the writ petitions and scrutiny of records, delivered the judgment, dismissing all the applications finding no merit.

Accordingly, Justice Bhuyan upheld their discharge orders from the services.

The APSC is embroiled in a cash-for-job scam being investigated by the Assam Police, which has arrested nearly 70 persons, including its former Chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and over 55 civil services officials since 2016.